Interrupter



YFeb. 7, 1.950

L E-v ROY A. CLEAVELAND ET AL,

INTERRUPTER Filed Sept. 5, 1947 w 4MM INI/` E?? gw ZZ y@ Patented Feb. 7, 1950 LeN Roy HI#- Tooker, West Orange, Ni JL',- assi'gaiorsto'- United-Statesy Instrument Corporatio'nSummit;-

NrJwacorporationfof New Jersey Application September 3, 1947*, Serial No. 1712876 1.-. invention relatesto current interrupters for electrical circuits and; more" particularlyv tol a current' interrupter of extremelyy low' power, for use in a: circuit'containing'a vibrator; such as a telephone receiver for example, adapted to give ofan` audible signal; when fedv byan` interrupted current of a frequency within the' audible range. Such a device maybe particularly useful when employedA in the calling circuit of a so-called sound-poweredwtelephone, thereceiver of whichl isadaptedfto'emit' al clearlyaudible signal when fed" with an interrupted current'of only two or three milliamperes: The' energysource may be an' ordinary dry cell of5 one and onefhalf volts.

One objectofthe* present invention is the' pro'- visiorr of an* interrupter of thetype described in' which' the armature is dynamically balanced and supported by' spring'means', whereby the device maybel mounted inany position without affecting` its operation, and a.' minimum' gapv may be employed'between armature and pole-piece, thus permitting theA use of `a minimum of energy.

Another'object is'the" provision of such a device in" whicnthe' spring armature support has an extension bearing4 upon but insulated from a con'- taot' post whi'cl'ialsov carries the fixed contact member, whereby the position of the armature may be varied bydeforming one end of said contact post, while the position ofthe fixed contact maybe varied by deforming'the other endv of said contact post. By virtue of these features, which permit of theuseof very' littleenergy for operation, the device may also be made extremely small and compact.

Otherl and' further objects; features and advantages-will be apparent from thed'escription which follows,- read in connectionA with the accompany-A ing-drawings in which:

Fl'gure l isa vertical sectional view of a device`4 constructed according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a rear end view of the device of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a front end view of the device;

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 1, but shows a modified form of the invention; o

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the said modified device; and

Figure 7 is a horizontal section on line l--l of Figure 6.

In order to facilitate an understanding of the invention, reference is made to the embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawings and detailed descriptive language is employed. It

surrounded by and formsafcbre-for'tlie coiii t2- oi' iin@ wire, ank armature I3 supported withits midpoint substantially opposite theN en'd-f of." theofthe armature isnormally-'spacedsomewhatf from the leg I-I. terminal members I9', 20arrd'2iii suitably'insu-'- lated from each other, the entire assemblagey being secured' together by: screws' 22, whichv also serveto electrically connect terminal-member I9v and spring I5.

The electrical circuitinvolved'` isl well-f knownf and need not be described in detailexcept to note that the contacts I6' and I8" arefinserie'swith the coil I2', both contacts` and" coil being'- connectedz between the polesI of a suitable energy' sourcea An interrupted current maybe taken o'iT either across the contacts I6, I8' orl across the coilV I2, and fed tothe telephonefrecei'ver ofothe'r a'cldibl'el signalling device.

The form of spring IEis'b'estfseeninFiguresl and 3, and comprises av bi'furcated` vertical por'r tion I5c which is secured between-thepoleepiece leg I4 andthe vertical bifurcated portion ITa of the contact post- I 1i, being-insulatedf'orn the lat? ter; The horizontal' portion` of thefspring I5` terminates inianapex I'Sa which carries' i'fliemov'eY able contact I6, while a rearwardly extending tongue I5b carries the armature I3. Adjustment of the air gap between armature and pole-piece, and of the distance between the contacts, is secured by bending the spring I5, the contact post Il, or both.

The device of Figures 5 to I is similar to that of Figures 1 to 4 except that in this instance the spring 25 is formed with a rearward extension 26 which not only supports the armature 21 but continues rearwardly and upwardly to bear against a rearward extension 28 of the contact post 29, being insulated therefrom as at 30. In this case the spacing of the contacts is regulated by bending the forward end of the post 29. while the position of the armature is controlled by The devicel isf. completed by'f bending the rearward extension 28 of the post 29.

In either form of the invention, the air gap and contact spacing may be very minutely regulated, thereby permitting the device to operate with a minimum of power, and likewise the armature is dynamically balanced, the gravity eiects being eliminated so that the device may be used in any position.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a current interrupter for electrical circuits, a U-shaped pole-piece forming part of a magnetic circuit, an armature adapted to complete said circuit, a coil surrounding one leg of said pole-piece, and means for rapidly interrupting the current through said coil, said last means comprising a pair of contacts in series with said coil, one of said contacts being ilxed and the other movable with said armature, a contact post, said fixed contact being secured onV said contact postand said contact post being deformable to vary-the normal distance between said contacts, and spring means rigid with said pole-piece for suspending said armature with its midpoint opposite the other leg of said pole-piece` A2. In a current interrupter for electrical circuits, a U-shaped pole-piece forming part of a magnetic circuit, an armature adapted to complete said circuit, a coil surrounding one leg of said pole-piece, andmeans for rapidly interrupting the current through said coil, said last means comprising a pairrof contacts in series with said coil, one of ysaid contacts being fixed and the other movable with said armature, a contact post, said xed contact being secured on4 said contact post,.and spring means rigid with said pole-piece for suspending said armature with its midpoint opposite the other leg of said pole-piece. `Y Y l`3. In a current interrupter for electrical circuits, a U-shaped pole-piece forming part of a magnetic circuit, an armature adapted to complete said circuit, a lcoil surrounding one leg of said pole-piece, `and means for rapidly interruptingtlie current through said coil, said last means comprising afpair of contacts in series with said coil, one of' said contacts being fixed and the other movable with said armature, a contact post, said fixed contact being secured on said contact post, and spring means rigid with said poie-piece for suspending said armature .with its-midpoint opposite the other legof said pole-piece, said spring means also carrying said pole-piece, and means for rapidly interrupting the current through said coil, said last means comprising a pair of contacts in series with said coil, one of said contacts being fixed and the other movable with said armature, a contact post, said fixed contact being secured on said contact post, and spring means rigid with said pole-piece for suspending said armature with its midpoint opposite the other legof said Dole-piece, said spring means having'an extension bearing against said contact post and said contact post being deformable to vary the position of said armature through said spring.

5. In a current interrupter, a contact post, a substantially U-shaped pole-piece, a coil surroundinga leg of said pole-piece, a pair of contacts in series with said coil, an armature having its midpoint located substantially over the other leg of said pole-piece, and spring means supplete said circuit, a coil surrounding one leg of ported on said pole-piece and supporting said armature and one of said contacts, said other contact being secured on said contact post.

6. In a current interrupter, a contact post, a substantially U-shaped pole-piece, a coil surroundinga leg of said pole-piece, a pair of contacts in series with said coil, an armature having its midpoint located substantially over the other leg of Vsaid pole-piece, and spring means supy ported on said pole-pieceand supporting said armature and one of said contacts, said other contact being secured on said contact post, said contact post being deformable to vary the normal distance between said contacts.

7L In a current interrupter, a contact post, a substantiallyv U-shaped pole-piece, a coil surrounding a leg of said pole-piece, a pair of con tacts in series with said coil, an armature having its midpoint located substantially over the other leg of said pole-piece, and spring means supported on said pole-piece and supporting said armature and oneof said contacts, said other contact being secured on said contact post, said spring means acting between said contact post and said armature to control the position of the latter. l

LE ROY A. CLE'AVELAND. FRANK H. TOOKER,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Y Price July l, 1947 

